Garage door operation



Oct. 26, 1948. A. J. swAN'soN ETAL 2,452,501

GARAGE DOOR OPERATFION Filed April 29, 1946 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. J. SWANSON a 2. GARDNER AQJ. SWANSON ETAL Oct. 26, 1948.

GARAGE DOOR OPERATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1946 /4./. SWANSO/V GARDNER Oct. 26, 1948. A. J. SWANSON 'ErAL 2,452,501

GARAGE DOOR OPERATION 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 29, 1946 AJ SWANSO/V 11E. GARDNER A. J. SWANSVON ETAL 2,452,501 7 Oct. 26, 1948.

GARAGE DOOR OPERATION I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 29, 1946 grwwvm Ad. SWANSON J16 GARDNER Patented Oct. 26, 1948 o intro TAT-ES :r m E lilbertai swanson, Oak Lawn, and .dro'hn Gardner, Bellwood, :Ill.

"Application April 29, 1946, Serial No. 685,74?

The present invention' relates to improvements ingarage doors and "more particularlyto mechanism *for moving 'the'doors to-open and closed position by switch 'oper-ated =means.

One ofthemain objectsthereof is'to provide a-simple; efiicient, 'andinexpensive device for the purpose -of e'iT-ecting the swinging movement of thefioors to either open or closedgposit-ions in the door frame, 'in a manner that requires the 'leastamount'of attention or labor on'the part of theattendant.

i l-nether "object thereof is *to provide improved means for facilitating the operations of 'opention, as well as for-resetting automatically the motor circuit for-another operation uponreversal or movement of the doors 'to closing position.

seen further object thereof is to provide, in

a device'of the kind described, improved "means for 'enabling*thamovement-of the doors to 'begin t'o open positionby 'aid'of the instrumentalities h'erein set forth from either "of the opposite sides of the doors manually,

ilnother-obj'ect thereof is to"provide,'-in--a device of "the kind"described, improved means for 'manually unl-atching the doors vvhenit is desired to automatically -'start themovernent "of the door -to "open position. v

nnotherobjecttheredf is to provide, in a de- 'viee'of"the kinddescribed, improved means for so imounting the -motor and its drive :belt connections to the mechanism for operating *the movement "of the doors that it will have 'a" float ing' support Whereunder "influen'ce ofits gravity, mounting it will respond to'vibrations, jars and other-pausesof -ordinary unbalance due *to irregone "functioningof any parts of the mechanism, by shifting f itself bo'dily without interfering with its "proper operation o'f said mechanism.

,A further'object thereofis'toprovide, in a dedriven 'from the motor.

IZ GI aimS. (C1.'268--63) Another object' th'ereof is tozprovide, in adevice of the kind described, improved means for reinforcing and Lbracing the adjoined wooden planks making up the garage doors of the present invention, in- -'such.ia:manner that they will withstand rough usage and resist separation.

-A further object thereof .is to :provide door operating mechanism forxdoors that admits of being set in motion in various 'waysand .from various positions. .It ;is proposed to start the working of the ;mechanism fromxtaxremote point outside of the garage, by hand inside of .the garage, by hand outside of the garage, andrautomatically resetzthe mechanism "for :refunctioning as Well.

:Another object thereof :is "to iprovide garage door operating mechanism so shaped, arranged and functioning that :only manual starting (of the motor is required to'startthe mechanism in motion, so thatpnce thexmechanism starts to function the door i-s successively unlatched, the motor kept running onlyso long as the doors are still undergoing-movement, the motor circuit .reset for a restarting 'operation'and stoppage of the movement of I the doors l accomplished,

With the above endotherobjects in'view our invention consists in-the combination, arrangement and detailsnof construction disclosed in the drawings and specification and then moreparticularl-ypointed out in the appended .claims.

.-In the drawings wherein' similar reference characters designate .similar parts throughout the respective views,

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the invention showing all' parts of the door operating mechanism in position when thedoors are closed,

Figure 2 is a top ,plan View of one of the doors, being therdoor to the'right'ofrthe door-frame,

"FigureB isxa fragmental and. elevation, "partly in section, of the mechanism,

Figure 4 is a fragmental "detail "-sectionalview o'fsa weather strip m'ounting for the upper ends of the doors, 7

Figure '5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Figure l,

Figure 6 iso crosssection taken on line 6-5 of Figure 1,

Figure 7 is a fragmental sectionalview showing two planks of a door connected by'a serrated steel spline,

"Figure '8is *a fragmental detail view in plan of 'the'serrated steel spline,

Figure 9 is a section taken on line 9 90i Figure 2, Y I

Figure 10 is a section taken on line ll0 of Figure 2,

Figure 11 is a detail plan view of a bearing portion mounted upon a door bracket hereinafter described,

Figure 12 is a fragmental detail view of rack bars and operating pinions,

Figure 13 is a vertical section taken on line l3l3 of Figure 2,

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view taken on line l4-|4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 15 is a front elevation of the garage.

In the drawings which are merely illustrative of our invention, the various parts are disclosed.

The garage building of approved design is broadly designated A and the door frame therein is shown to consist of the top part D and opposite side parts B and C respectively.

The doors will be rigidly constructed for special use in a garage and made to withstand severe usage and rough punishment incidental to bodily movements as they swing to open or closed positions. The door is composed of two sections [0 and H. Each door section is composed of a series of adjoined wooden planks l3. Interposed between the adjoining edges of these planks, making up each door H], II, are steel spline strips which are formed upon opposite longitudinal edges with serrations. Thus, one spline strip M will have one longitudinal serrated edge l inserted into theplank as shown in Figure '7 so it is bridged across the slit intervening between the planks. In this manner the planks are reinforced and also held with a close interfit and against accidental separation.

Strapped transversely across each door l0 and II centrally as well as the top and bottom thereof, are main door hinge bars H on door H, and I8 on door l0. They materially reinforce and brace these doors and will assure that the doors do not buckle under temperature variations. These bars, as well as bars 23 shown in Figure 3, are formed with a series of points 31a along its effective area which take into the wooden planks. At the ends of the bars I! and I8 are movable hinge knuckles IQ for door I I, and. 20 for door 10. The stationary hinge plates 22 of these door hinges are countersunk in the rectangular recesses 2| formed in the door frame. The rigid bracing bars 23 are secured'to the planks by bolts and nuts 24. The'main doorhinge bars are on one side of the doors, theouter side, while the reinforcing bars 23 are on the inner side of the doors.

An angle iron metal sill 34 extends longitudinally along the upper part of the door way upon the inner side of the doors. Extending centrally upon the upper edges of the doors I0 and II are depending weather strips 26 against which the doors abut. These weather strips are secured by fasteners, 35 (Figure 4) directly through a spacer 36 to the angle iron sill 34. The top edges of the doors are denoted at 21.

Also provided for easy frictionless movement of the garage doors I!) and I l are roller guides 28, which are roller carrying arms, the lower face plates 25 of which are attached (Figure 5) by suitable screws 35 to the door H] or II. On vertical pins 3la secured upon arms 28 on, the doors are rollers 3! which engage the opposing flange walls 32 of an inverted channel shaped body attached by fasteners .33 to the top of angle iron sill 34.

It will be seen that 32 provides a track for t e rollers 3| carried by the doors and that these rollers 3| also serve as pivots upon which the doors may swing to open and closed position when operated by the mechanism about to be described.

The doors l0 and I l have secured rigidly in overlying contact therewith brackets having opposing arms 31, 38 thereof attached to the doors by fasteners 39, being bolts to which nuts 40 are threaded operatively. These brackets are formed with outwardly spaced and curved upstanding rigid arms 4! formed at their upper planes with horizontally disposed bearing portions or plates 42.

Reference being made to Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, the details of the connections between the doors and the door operating mechanism will best appear. In Figure 11 the bearing portions 42 of the bracket arms 4! appear in top plan. It will be seen that they are each formed with an elongated slot 43, and behind the slots 43 with holes 53. Upon laterally extending parts 43a of these bearing portions 42 are formed upstanding lugs 45 arranged parallel to the arms 4|. The bearing portions are beveled as at 44.

Upon oppositely movable door operating members and 86 soon to be described, are pivoted at suitable points, swivel castings 46 into which are arranged for pivotal connection to these members 85, 86, elongated tubular rods 48 in which are telescopically arranged rods 49, as shown in Figure 9, are bent back downwardly to form pins 50 which project swivellably down into slots 43 of bearing portions 42 of the brackets 31, 38. These pins 50 also extend into wear plates 5| abutting the bearing portions 42. being held in contact therewith by the cotter pins 52.

Just prior to being bent into the formation of the pins 50, tubes 48 are provided with heads 54 which project beyond opposite sides of the rods. A pair of horseshoe-shaped levers or latches have their parallel arms 56, 51 straddling the rods 49. and have their inner narrowing ends pivoted at 55 to opposite sides of the heads 54 of the rods 48. The bight portion 58a of this latch lever curves around the pin 50 of the rod 49 and is raisable at this point relatively to the bearing portion 42 of the bracket 31, 38 upon which it normally rests as shown in Figures 9 and 10. It will be seen that the latch lever along its bight portion is formed with a bent back hook bill 58 disposed obliquely of the plane of the lever as shown in Figure 9.

The inclined bill 58 of the latch lever bears against the correspondingly inclined beveled surface 60 of the toe 59 formed laterally at right angles upon the latch arm 62 which, at its outer end, is formed with a beveled latching terminal 6| hooked against the abutment 45 formed upon the bearing portion 42. There are two latch arms 62, one operating in conjunction with each door [0 or H. Each latching arm 62 projects forwardly of the door frame angle iron sill 34 at an angle thereto, preferably as shown in Figure 2. At their inner ends each latching arm is formed with divergent arms 63, 64, which at their ends are formed with upstanding lugs 65, 56, which abut against adjacent upstanding lugs 55- formed upon the ends of a bracket member 61, which is secured by fasteners 68 upon the sill 34 7 As shown in Figures 1 and 6, a vertically disposed push up rod 69 is mounted upon the inner side of the doors l0 and H. The top end of each rod is designated 10. It passes through the holes 53 of the bearing portion 42 of the brackets 31,

tiiiixandtbfearsszdirectlyaunder thezb-i'ghtrzportioniim of each latch lever rior "athe :;purposecof raising same mpon :itstpivotrzpinsfifi :at ithe properftime mihen "the mush arods are :alifted for :this purpose.

The slower endrof the :pushtrod -5.9';is i'formed with :a right :angular spin 'll/uvhich projects ithrouglranxeye 'lz iformedaterminal-lyaupon arcrank arm 3G3. :Therpin 5H held-"against displacement tiromithisueyelbyzmeansiofza cotterszpin 7.'li4.-l

"Ehe crank arm 'l'3:is'1:=formecl@upon a: spindle 15, which, =aswshownainiFi'gure 11, extends 'rhorizontally alongeach :iioor 110,1! l being mounted :forntotartion in lc eepers i6 'seouredto :theseido ors; *lf'ertical $hanks' are 1 formed integrallyiwith rthe'spindles 15 and overlie the doors as s'hown in "Figure *6. '"their lower ends these 'sp'indles 1:1 areTormed with outwar'dly "projecting offsets '18 which :are 'berit=iiownwardly-'at 19' to provide a handle which is'seerrto project laterally of the in'ner :side o'f the doors fflhis handle portion 19 is formed uwith' a i-iorizorital-ly extending 'right angular portion l which projects movably :and swivellably :into' a 'vertic-alelot ln iormed' imeaoh doorll], I l. The eonnec'tion rods -8 I of the handles "-19 terminate 'in spaced relation from the outer side of 'the doors, in upstanding handles'8'llwvhioh are disposedpara'llel to handles 19. There is normally space -B3 interveningbetween the bottom of ea-ch s'lOt BZ'andtheconnecting rods '8 I of the spindles approved -tlesi'gnof a lock 84 "may-be -'emp'loyed to extend-with its bolt across and hei'iind theespi-ndles *1-1 oi' -the'pushrodactuating means such as "is shown in *Figure 6.

"T'heoppositel-y movable members 85, "86, to which "the *tubular rods 48 are pivotally mounted are rack bars, of which 85 is the lower one and 86the-"upper one. *Interposed for meshing engagementwith the *ra'ckbars -85 and 36 is a pin- "idnfi'l, which engages the rack teeth 88 of these erackbars. Suitable rack bar guioles 5 l 20, I 21 are employed which are operatively secured-upon the v-sill 34. The pinion *shaft is' designated 'il l, Figere 3. Nuniber'92 is'a hub upona large pulley 93 *which is mounted for rotation with pinion "shaft 91. -pulley -93, and also over 'and around a smaller pulley= 95*made fast upon the motor shaft '95 :of era electric motor 91 'Whose bottomqaortion ishdestignated 98. a

The motor-under supporting is intended to impartto the motor-a floating-disposition with arespeot'to the movable parts of the mechanismfor operating the doors includingrthe rack bars :85 and 1 86, and also fonthepurposeof bodily :ten

si-oning the belt e i :to tighten-the. same automatireally. For --this purpose the :inotor bottom/9811's mounte'd fiat upon {these portion or 'pl'atform 101' bracket-.99. "The .cr-oss'sect'ion of the motor equals what ot-the width of the platform 99. Reference will also be madetoFigure 1 foran observation 'of'thetmounting of the motor-fill. Here itis seen that the bracket mounting for the motor isprotvided with depending ilugs at the opposite ends thereof :as at J00, these .l1l'gs"being disposed "in marginal =alignment upon .thelb se plate lor plat- .form .199. 'ilfhe lugs :lllfl of the platform are. trunnioned upon ,ascrew rod Li) I which .is .operatively andlrigidlyflsecuredat its innerend upon the web M3 of asuitable-standard secured-upon the sill i341inamanner-(soon tobedescribed.

:The .rod 191 is :fiormted with screwlfthreazds 21:02

'ats'it's 10111761 send -a;s:shown-in Figure 1. A' later-- tail-y disposed casting Hi3 upontheibasesilflzof the Abelt --94 is trained "over and around lIhe means forzfiastening fiheiWE'b El 122 upon-Lthe hill L231! zwiHmowfhessetiTorth. It consists :of' the innermost bracket'zarm 420:6 which 'overlies theitop fi-ang e 10f "the $111234. iBolts I; ti! pass through the lenaeleetrarm :lill6 zsarrd the flange 0f rthe :sill, :rithe heads of whiehdoearragainst thezfl-ange' While n'uts :1 I: l l were: threaded up onithei'bolts 'for :clampinglthe --braoket%:aim'rigidly upon the sill 'Formed-in- :tegrally aupon :the Web l I2 is a raek' bar rgui't'ie elil B. eAlso'riorm-ed 'zupon :th-i's web [M :at its outer tplane clthe upstanding :part or standard 41 4. Pinion zsha fit E9| t.is a*rrod-I1ike part :which *ha's' an lupright sconn'ector'rarm H5 :disposed parallel to spuil'eyisfl The top zof this arm II [5 is denoted at 515% which extends ihorizonta'lly rand has its end srece-ivedinithe st-and-ard l lfl.

iIneFfigure12 :itlis seen that rack bar $5is formed upon its ou-terliace-awith a longitudinally ekteniiiingweam bar lrl 'l which has its"oppositeehd bevv-aledrzat ms, L llie. Refer-enoe -being made -to Figure 13. it s seen that horizontally a'ligneli (cheeks HEkare 'ior-med upon a bracket member ilihey aprov'ide a recess zin'whichan upstanding -pin 11.25! on-raclnbar 8-5, secured-to its upper face, smayzpass. Cheek i230 is formedupon'the'ofist an of the braeket member, which -is "f ormed was a part of the arm I23 of this member upon which lrack ibar Tides as upon :a guide. The bracket member has a depending shank l' 2 4 which car r ies arm H52 3, and' Will-(5h shank is'=sh-ape d into a uig' ht sang-ular arm [-25 overlying the sill 38; being secured to the flatterlby means 0f the "bolts 5 ['26. Reference leeing *made to Figures 14 and 2,-it

is -seen that theaetua t'ing part "of a switohmemlilac-r is disclosed here. As rack .bar 35 advancesin "movement to e ffect opening of the properdoor "-53 er lil ,its eam le-ar ll 'l will ride against averti- =eally disposed "roller -12 operatively 'joui'n aled =upon-a "vertical pin i-Z8 carried by the depending "arm 1 2 9 formed upon the --ov-erhang-in"g horizontallvdispose'dshank ldli -of'a'rock lever shown i n feiot-te'ri lines' to the ri'ghzt of Figure "2. Ei1alik formsa part of thewertical stem l-fil of this-rock lever. Stem I31 of theme lever projects "into -tlie'slot til?!fl er-med in the top flange of-longitudi- *n-al sill 64, being formed upon the "arm" I3 3 "of mock i'ev er, the other *arm of which is denoted at W36. R'oc 'l "=lever has a 'central hub '134Whih is fulcrumed *upon a pivot pin +35 secured upon i-the'siil fl;

' Rook lever has "its arm "4% formed terminally withan *ofi's'et 1 31 upon-which "is 'formed the lateraily d-isposecl feeler F38" that engages press'ingiy thwmotor mire-nit starting switch Ml] mounted upon the door frame. The feeler I38 engages-the mush-button 1396f this switch MD. a pull cord "or ehain -l l l has its uppe r en d natta-che'd' -to the trip arm I30 I of "the rock "lever. This "trip arm projects forwardly'of the sill "3'4 so that'iits verti- *eal roller "I 2"! will -proje-ctin the path of movement of the .cam bar I ll of rack bar85. Tl'iejlow *er' en'd or chain 1-41 extends downwardly "of the f'tl-oors at Wconvenient "point Where same ,ma'y he 'reached by an-attendant. umber M2 designates "a switch "having provisi'onior reversing the direction of rotation "of the --motor 91 *by means 'of -:cirouit'parts and nonnections. This iswitch M2 is operatively :secured -upon the s'ill- -34 a-s shown in FigureZL Centrally 'tif-this =switeh "it an irregularly -shaped 'contact arm M3which projects-beyond sill 34. son-s to project into the path or "movement of thefpin motor 391 ihas :a depending ital-k I -1T4 i into whieh [1 1 2 'I' on raek' bar E5 when "the Y latter is moving in one direction. In Figure 15 illustrating the outside of thegar-age and doors thereof, we have generally denoted at I44 aremote control switch having a push button I44a. designed to be manually operated by the operator of an automobile who has brought his car thereadjacent. This remote control switch may be actuated electronically by approved means not shown.

The circuit wire connectionsto the switches will nowbe detailed. This is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. Number I45 denotes the plug-in wires. These wires I45 are connected to wires-.I46a which are connected to the motor starting switch I40 operatively and are also connected to the remote control switch I44 by aid of wires, I 46 Wires I46 are connected by wires I49 to the switch member I42 operatively to feed current thereinto. From switch member I42 run wires I4'I connected to wires I49, and are also connected to the motor 91 for starting the rotation of the motor when the circuit is closed thereto. Another pair of wires I48 connect at one end with switch member I42 and at the other ends are connected also to the motor 91 for the purpose of effecting the reversal of rotation of this motor 91. Number I50 designates the leverage of the platform 99 of the motor with respect to the pivotal point IOI of the platform and motor.

,T'he'use' and operation of this invention will now be set forth.

- ,It is apparent that, when the doors swing from open to closed position in the door frame, as they assume their final closing positions therein abutments 45 of brackets. 31, 38 of the doors will ride over against the beveled surfaces SI of the latching members 62 and snap under the latching hooks thereof. The doors will now be effectively latched in closed position. The latching members or arms 62 have to be disengaged from the abutments 45 before the doors can be moved into opening position by the mechanism described. The attendant who happens to be inside of the garage building A can take hold of handle I9, Figure 6, and pull it away from and outwardly of the inner side of the door I or II, to thereby swing spindle TI and operate crank arm I3 to move upwardly, whereby push rod 69 is caused also to move upwardly of the door. As push rod moves upwardly, its upper end I0 pushes up on latch levers 56, 51, which raises so that (Figure 9) the inclined lips 58 of this latch lever pushes upwardly upon the beveled surface 60 of the lateral offset 59 of the latching arm 62, thereby disengaging the hook SI of the. latch arm from the abutment 45 carried by bracket 31, 39 of the door.

If the attendant happens to be on the outside of the garage building A, he can take hold of the handle 80 of this same push rod operating means and accomplish the same result thus described-disengage the latching member 62 from abutment 45. I

If the attendant is coming intothe drive way of the garage in hisautomobile, and desires to open the garage doors I0 and-II without leaving his machine, he extends-his arm outside of the car and engagesthe push button I44a of the remote control switch I44, and in doing so he closes the circuit to the electric motor as follows: Current will flow to the battery (not shown) to plugin wires I45, switch I40. Switch I40 has wires H611 and I49 run to switch I42, and thence current flows through such wires, and by wires I4-I leading from switch I42 current flows directly to the electrical motor 91, thus closing the circuit to this motor so it starts running.

Rotation of the motor shaft'96 sets'pulley 95 in motion, which setsin motion the belt 94, trained over pulley 93, so pulley 93 begins to rotate.- This rotates pinion shaft 91 and the pinion meshing with rack bars and 86 causes the rack bars to move in opposing directions to the right and left for effecting the opening of .the doors II and Into the left and right accordingly. As rack bar 05 moves to the right itinduceslongitudinal movement in thelink arms 48,

'49, which have a telescopic relation adjustably. The angular projecting disposition of the link arms 48, 49 with respect to the plane of the rack bar results in these link arms pushing the bearing portion 42 of the doors away from the door frame-and radially of the pivotal point of attachment 4! of theselink arms. The moment the rack bar 85 and 86 start moving to open the doors, beveled end IIO of cam bar III on rack bar 85, and on rack bar 86 begin to ride over the roller I21 of the trip arm I30 of the rock lever I33, I36 of starting switch I40. As each door operates in the same way we will describe how 5 one door is caused to open and close.

When the cam bar II? of rack bar 85 rides outwardly. This action rocks the switch lever arm I33 so it moves outwardly of the sill 34,

while the arm I36 of the lever moves inwardly of the sill.

This makes the feeler I38 at the outer end of lever arm I36 so engage the push button I39 of the switch I40 that the motor circuit already closed remains closed aslong as cam bar 'I I1 is riding against roller I21.

- As the cam bar is thus riding over roller I21 .rod 49 of the link arm by aid of its crank pin 50 is same upwardly with the result that latching arm 62 is lifted off from engagement with the abutment 45. This unlatches the door instantly, so that it may be moved to fully open position by the link arms 48, 49. The pin I2 I is moving away from the trip arm I43 of the reversing switch member I42 as this takes place.

When the cam bar Ill rides off from engagement with the roller I2I of the trip arm I30 of the motor circuit starting switch, the circuit to the motor 91 may be automatically disrupted, if so desired, and the motor will stop running. However, the motor may, by its switch and circuit hook up, still continue to run. a

When the starting switch is closed, the motor either opens or closes the doors, depending on which way the reversing switch I42 has been set. The motor is of the type in which the starting field is used for reversing thus makin it possible to re.- verse without affecting the motor while it is running at full speed. This permits the motor to keep running not only while the doors are opened, and

while the doors remain open for a given interval,

but also when the closing of the doors is to be accomplished automatically. It is only when, during the continued reversal of rotation of the motor, beveled end II9 of the cam arm on rack bar engages roller I21 of switch trip arm I30, that means .has been started and put into operation for hieinbers, outwardly curving upwardly extending arms on said brackets, carrying horizontal bearing portions, the outer ends of said link arms having depending pins swivellably mounted in said bearing portions, akeeper mounted upon each of said bearing portions, latching members having their inner ends pivotally mounted upon said frame and having outer, latching ends engageable with said keepersto hold the doors closed, and means pivotally mounted in stradclling relation to the'depending pins of said link arms' constrained tov be forced upwardly upon movementof said push rods to engage said latching members for the purpose of retracting them from said keepers.

5. In a deviceas described, a door frame, a pairof oppositely arranged swinging doors mounted in said frame, brackets carried by said doors having outwardly spaced upwardly extendi arms terminating in bearing portions, a pair of oppositely extending link arms having their inner ends pivotally mounted in said bearing portions, motor-controlled oppositely movable horizontally disposed members to which, the inner ends of said link arms are pivotally attached for joint movement with said link arms, said link arms being automatically adjustable in length, as said doors swing to open position, keepers carried by said bearing portions, latching membersvertically movable upon said frame and having latching terminals which engage said keepers to, hold the doors closed, and also formed with lateral beveled, lugs, and means carried at the duter ends of said linkarms exerting a wedging action against the beveled lugs of said latching members for disengaging them from said keepers.

. 6'. In a device as described, a doorframe, a

pair'of' oppositely arranged and swinging doors mounted in said frame, and carrying rigid brackets, said brackets having outwardly spaced upwardly extending arms terminating in horizontal" bearingportions, said bearing portions being formed, with slots, horizontally disposed oppositely'movable members on said door frame, a pair of "oppositely movable telescopic link arms having their inner ends pivotally attached to said membersand having downturned pins at their outer ends projecting into the slots of said bearing'portions, a'pair of horseshoe-shaped members straddling the outer ends of said link arms and having the-inner ends of their arms pivoted tosaid link arms respectively, beveled terminals carried by the bight portions of said horseshoeshaped members movable with the ,link arms, latching members pivotally mounted upon said frame for vertical movement, keepers carried by said bearing portions, the outer ends of said latching members hooking over against said keepers to'latch the same, said horseshoe-shaped members engaging with their jbeveled terminals motor'controlled means for actuating said'mov able members. v r l 7. In a device as described, a door frame, a pair'of oppositely aligned doors hingedly mounted for swinging movement to said door frame, brackets carried by said doors having outwardly spaced upwardly extending arms terminating in bearing portions, a pair of latchinglevers pivotally mounted upon said door frame projecting forwardly of the latter towards said bearing portions, latching heads upon said latching members, keepers carriedby said bearing portion engaged by said latching heads to hold the doors closed, lateral 0 against the hookingends of thelatching members to disengage the latter from said keepers, and

right angular lugs formed upon the latching meme bers having under beveled surfaces, a pair of oppositely movable door opening link arms having a universally connected mounting in said bearing portions, levers pivotally mounted to the connected ends of said link arms at one end and extending under the beveled surfaces of said latching members, and beveled surfaces formed upon said last-named-levers engageable with the beveled surfaces of said latching members for disengaging them from said keepers.

8. In a. device as described, a door frame, a pair of oppositely arranged doors hingedly mounted upon said frame, meansfor separately latching said doors in closed position, and means shiftable longitudinally and engaging said doors for the purpose of swinging them to open position and for initially actuating said disengaging means.

9. In a device as described, in combination a door frame, a pair of oppositely arranged and swingabl doors hingedly mounted to said frame, a pair of longitudinally movable members arranged above the doors having connections for swinging the doors to open position, horizontal bars carried by said member having oppositely beveled ends, guides in which said members and bars are movable as they advance, an elongated lever being pivoted between its ends to said frame above said doors and having its outer end formed with an offset lug, switch means pressingly engaged by said oiiset lug of said lever for closing an electrical circuit, a motor included in said cir-v cuit, means operated by said motor for actuating said movable members, said lever having a right angular arm projecting in the path of movement of said bar, a roller mounted upon the terminal of said right angular arm with which said bar has rolling contact as the members advance for depressing said lever, disengaging the offsetarm thereof from said switch means for disrupting the motor circuit.

10. In a, device as described, in combination, a door frame, a pair of swinging doors mounted hingedly in said frame, an electric motor upon said frame, an electrical circuit including said motor, a pair of oppositely movable and rectilinearily guided door operating members, a bar overlying'one of said members having beveled opposite ends, also adapted to be guided in movement with said members, a switch member on said frame having a circuit closing or opening means movable in opposing directions includingan arm projecting into the path of movement of said bar-carrying member, another switch included in said circuit including a movable lever mounted on said frame having a terminal arm also projecting from the frame in the path of the bar on said member, being depressed when engaged by the latter during movement of said member, for holding closed the circuit, a pin on the bar-carrying member disposed immediately in advance of the projecting arm of the first named switch just prior to engagement of the bar with the arm of the second named switch, the reverse movement of the movable member, set by the circuit closing means of the first switch. causing said pin to engage the projecting arm of the last named switch for setting the first switch for motor starting operation.

11. In a device as described, a frame, doors movably operated therein, mechanism upon said frame overhead for actuating said doors collectively, an electric motor for operating said mechanism, an electric circuit to said motor, a motor circuit closing switch, a lever pivoted to said frame and extending longitudinally thereon, having one end engaging said switch for closing said circuit and having another free end bent at an angle and projecting forwardly of the frame, means moving rectilinearily of the last named end of the lever and in engagement therewith for actuating continuously said lever to keep the circuit closed to said motor for a predeterminative period, said lever being in circuit disrupting position when said means is disengaged therewith, and a pull cord upon the right angular end of the lever for manually tilting said lever to operate said switch for closing said circuit initially.

12. In a combination, a door frame, doors movably operated therein, mechanism for actuating said doors, an electric motor for operating said mechanism, releasable means engaging said doors to latch them closed, a starting switch for said motor, a reversing switch for said motor, an actuating arm for each switch projecting in back of the doors, means for manually actuating the arm of the starting switch to move said doors, means movable with the doors for initially disengaging the latching means therefrom, means initially en- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 563,779 Mathewson et a1. July 14, 1896 1,194,482 Crane Aug. 15, 1916 1,294,399 Chappelle Feb. 18, 1919 1,940,971 Schwartz et a1. Dec. 26, 1933 1,941,454 Ainsworth Jan. 2, 1934 2,053,172 Young Sept. 1, 1936 2,396,610 Schulze Mar. 12, 1946 

